Locomotive



A NR w m A M Mo w BL l No. 471,009. Patented Ma1u15. 1892.

w o oo 00 oeo I IIIL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2, AHANA.

LOOOMOTIVE.

I (No Model.)

No. 471,009. Patented Mar. 15, 1892.

' NITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. MAHANA, OF FREEVVATER, OREGON.

LOCOMOTIVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,009, dated March 15, 1892.

Application filed July 2, 1891. Serial No. 398,218. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be-it known that 1, JOHN B. MAHANA, of Freewater,in the county of Umatilla and State of Oregon,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locomotives, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to locomotives for single-rail railways, its principal object being to increase the traction without adding to the weight of such locomotives in order that they may be capable of moving a heavier load than heretofore. It is well known that the slipping of the drivers of a locomotive when starting a heavy load and when running upgrade is a source of much annoyance and waste of power, and many devices have heretofore been employed to increase the traction, as in some cases by adding weight to the locomotive and in others by using a supplemental rail, either with or without teeth, with which parts on the locomotive have been adapted to engage. All these devices are objectionable either on account of additional cost in the equipment of the road or inadequacy of results'obtained.

My invention is designed to reach the desired end with very little additional mechanism on the locomotive, no material increase in the weight thereof, and without the use of a supplemetal rail.

A further object of my invention is to improve the general construction of such locomotives.

My invention consists in the several details of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully set forth in the specification and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved locomotive. Fig. 2 is a plan. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section, partly broken away, taken on the line 00 a; of Fig. 1; and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are detached details on an enlarged scale.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in the respective figures. I

A represents the bearing-rail of a singlerail railway supported on a suitable bed elevated above the ground.

B B represent the main driving and supporting wheels of the locomotive arranged one before the other and journaled in suitable boxes 0 on the longitudinal bed-frame 0. Each wheel B is provided with cranks b, one on each side thereof.

D D are cylinders supported on a yokebridge D, rigidly secured to the bed-frame O, betweenthe two wheels 13, by suitable U- shaped bolts d. The cylinders are arranged one on eachside of the bed-frame O midway of the yoke-bridge, which is recessed for their reception, as shown. The piston-rod d of each cylinder passes through both ends thereof, and each end of the piston-rod is rigidly connected by a plated to a sliding bar E, supported in suitable bearings e on the yokebridge D. The ends of the piston-rod are also supported in the bearings 6. Each bar E is provided with a pin 6' midway of its length, from which connecting-rods e lead to the cranks b on the respective sides of the frame.

E E are the steam-chests connected with the source of steam-supply in the usual manner.

The wheels B are fiangeless-and the sides of their rims are corrugated to form a series of concentric V-shaped recesses and projections f, with which the similarlycorrugated portions f on the wheels F are adapted to engage. Suspended from the bed-frame are bars G G, arranged in pairs at each side of both driving-wheels B in such manner that the boxes and axles of the wheels B are between them. These bars G are bent at their upper ends to fit over the edge of the frame 0, to which they are securely bolted. The bars opposite each other are tied together by means of rods g g and nuts g g and the struts G G, the latter being formed of plate metal bent into a V form and provided with flanges g at each end, through which they are bolted to the bars G. The struts G G and rods g g are located just above the rail A and in close proximity to the wheels B, and the struts prevent the bars G being forced in toward each other, while the rods prevent their spreading. The bars G are each provided with lugs H on the inner edge, said lugs having recesses h to receive the boxes H. Each pair of bars G supports two boxes H, and they have a limited amount of play in the recesses toward IOC and away from the wheels B, say, about three eighths of an inch. An elastic cushion I is interposed between each box 11 and a cam I, the latter being pivoted in the lugs II and provided with a lever z'. The levers of each pair of cams are connected bya rod 0; to have simultaneous movement and are operated by means of the rod 1 leading to the piston of a cylinder (not shown) in any convenient part of the locomotive, the motive power being air or steam under the control of the engineer. The wheels F F are journaled in the boxes II and have a slight lateral play in common therewith. Each wheel F has a flange f adapted to fit under the head of the bearingrail A, a tread f adapted to engage the side of the head of the bearing-rail A, and a portion having V-shaped corrugations f, adapted to engage the similar corrugations on the wheel B. The bearing wheels B are wider than the rail, and the tread and flange of the wheels F project under the tread of the wheels 13 to engage the rail, thereby practically forming flanges for the wheels B and serving effectually to hold them on the rail,.at thesame time permitting them to travel on curves without friction. Normally the wheels F will be out of engagement with the wheels B and rail A; but when it is desired to increase the traction of the locomotive the cams I will be op erated to force the elastic cushions I and boxes H and with them the wheels F, inwardly and cause the latter to engage the wheels B and rail A, and the frictional contact of the corrugated portions of the wheels B and F will cause the latter to revolve with the former, and thereby add to the traction of the locomotive.

J represents a cow-catcher, supported at its upper end by the bed-frame 0. Its lower end is bifurcated in order that it may straddle the rail A and extend down to the supplemental side rails A A to clear them of any obstruction. The parts of the cow-catcher extending below the rail A are suitably braced to the nearest bars G by rods j.

K K represent wheels journaled in suitable bearings and adapted to come in con tact with the supplemental rails A to assist in maintaining the locomotive in a perpendicular position.

L L represent the boilers, which are preferably of the return-flue order, and L the smoke-stack common to both boilers.

L L are the steam domes, one on each boiler, connected by the pipe L so that a uniform steam-pressure may be maintained in the boilers. The top of each boiler is arched longitudinally, as shown, the object being to have a high-water line, and at the same time sufiicient steam-space, in order that the ends of the lines may not be exposed when the locomotive is running up or down grade.

The boilers are supported in the following manner: On the top of the boxes 0, on each side of the wheels B, are secured in any suitable manner the bars 0', on which are supported the leaf-springs M, disposed lengthwise of the bed'frame, and from each end of each spring depends a loop-bar M. These loop-bars M support two straight bars N, one on each side of the frame and extending longitudinally thereof. 0 O representheav'y steel bars having a straight central portion 0, which rests on and is firmly secured to the bars N. The ends of the bars 0 are bent to conform to the outline of a portion of the boiler which is adapted to rest in them. The boilers are thus suspended in springsupports from the axles of the main driving and supporting wheels B independently of the bedframe, the steam-cylinders, and the driving-gear. In consequence of having the bed-frame, drivingwheels, and cylinders practically rigid one with the other I am onabled to keep the piston-rods on a line with the axles of the wheels at all times, which is a decided advantage in locomotives and will tend to greatly reduce the wear on the driv-' ing-gear.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a locomotive, the combination, witha vertical flangeless driving-wheel, of horizontal wheels adapted to frictionally engage the sides of the. rim of said vertical wheel and each having a portion of its tread projecting under the tread of the vertical wheel and adapted to engage the side of the rail on which the said vertical wheel runs, and suitable means to move the horizontal wheels into and out of engagement with the vertical wheel, substantially as specified.

2. In a locomotive, a vertical flangeless driving-wheel having on each side of its rim a series of concentric projections and depressions, combined with horizontal wheels, each having a series of projections and depressions around one portion of its tread adapted to engage those on the rim of the vertical wheel and having also a portion of its tread adapted to project under the tread of the vertical wheel to engage the side of the head of the rail on which the vertical wheel runs and provided with a flange to fit under the head of said rail, and suitable means to move the horizontal wheels into and out of engagement with the vertical wheel and the rail, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a locomotive, a vertical wheel and a horizontal wheel on each side thereof adapted to frictionally engage the sides of its rim, combined with pairs of boxes in which the horizontal wheels are journaled, said boxes having a limited amount of lateral movement in suitable supports attached to the locomotive-fram e, cams pivoted in said supports and adapted to move the boxes, a lever on each cam, a rod connecting the levers of each pair of cams, and suitable means to actuate said levers to give each pair of boxes simultaneous movement to cause the horizontal wheels to frictionally engage the vertical wheel, sub stantially as and for the purpose specified.

4:. In a locomotive, the combination, with the bed-frame and the driving-wheels, of a yoke-bridge rigidly secured to the frame between the front and rear driving-wheels and extending on either side of said frame, steamcylinders supported on said yoke-bridge, one on each side of the frame, sliding bars supported in bearings 0n the yoke-bridge, each bar being connected to both ends of the piston-rod of a steam-cylinder, a pin midway of each sliding bar, and connecting-rods leading in opposite directions from said pin to the cranks on the driving-wheels, substantially as specified.

5. In a locomotive for single-rail railways, the combination, with the boxes of the driv- JOHN B. MAHANA. 1,. s]

Witnesses E. CRUSE, G. M. FINLEYi 

